Changes

Last week started with the news of my daughter, Chris, and her family making the difficult decision to move to Colorado. Difficult, in that it means leaving behind close family, and friends, that they grew up with, played with, worked with, shared their lives with, and embracing a new life in the west, new job, new friends, new house, new scenery, new challenges. It makes everyone sad. No one likes change, but it constantly is happening to each of us. My heart aches for each of them as they deal with many emotions, and thoughts, but with help from all of us, and their friends, visiting, I know it will turn out good for them all.

After weeks of cold, deep freeze, Brrrrr weather, there was finally a break last weekend with temps in the upper 30's. Yipee! What a difference above 0 is! I was so thankful that the truck started after working the evening shift when it was -16 degrees. And the next day, -22.
I finally felt like taking a walk outside with the dogs. They were ecstatic, and the sun felt so good on my face, as we strolled through the neighborhood.
Last week, there was a lunar total eclipse.
You could see the orange color around 9:50pm on Thursday, and then see it get very dark as the shadow of the earth passed over the moon. An amazing site to see. This site won't occur again until 2010.
Thursday night, Dad and I went to hear a speaker talk about immigration. She gave us a true and false quiz on myths, and truths about illegal immigrants. She was very interesting, and gave me a new insight into the whole immigration process, and what it takes to get a legal status in this country. I'm convinced the laws and process for legal status must be revised, or changed. I also believe someone who commits a criminal act while in this country should be deported back to their original country, and not be allowed to stay here.

Then , Friday, my beautiful twin granddaughters turned from little girls, to young ladies, and started their teenage years. I celebrate their youth, and the exciting years ahead, the struggles to find their way in this world, their values, their goals, their friends. I want them to know how much I care about them, and love them, and wish they could be closer to us. I'm glad Mom will keep us informed of their days, and what they're involved in.
For Lent, I, too, am trying to initiate changes. I have set aside time each day to read scripture, and meditations, and spend quiet time with the Lord. I also am studying the bible, and deepening my faith. I have not always put God first in my life. When I was younger, the family came first, but I now realize, as much as the family is of utmost importance in my life, God should be the number one. He created me, made me in his likeness, and wants me to be with him forever. I must strive to keep Him always with me in all I do. As the book I'm reading now states: "Real life-the real life of joy we are meant to be living-begins when we restore a sense of reverence to our daily affairs. Today, search for the Sacred in the ordinary with gratitude in your heart, and you will surely find it."
And finally, there is my precious little Luci, changing weekly, as she grows, and sees her world with mama, and daddy.
Change:
If you would attain to what you are not yet, you must always be displeased by what you are. For where you are pleased with yourself there you have remained. Keep adding, keep walking, keep advancing. ~Saint Augustine

Valentine Week

We decided to celebrate our Valentine's Day the weekend before. Our plans were to go to a nice restaurant and enjoy a steak dinner, and have a relaxing evening. Well, the weather didn't co-operate. It was bitter cold and windy. So, our next plan was to buy all the fixins, and make a steak dinner at home, have a fire in the fireplace, and enjoy the evening home. That's what we did, but it wasn't quite the same as going out, as I did all the fixing! But I did get quite a few compliments. But our celebration didn't end there. The following Wednesday, the day before Valentine's Day, I got a delivery of flowers, a teddy bear, and a box of chocolates. What a nice thing to get. Not to be outdone, I also thought of my hubby, and presented him with a new George Foreman grill, which he'd been looking at, for some time. We both enjoyed our gifts to each other. So, what a surprise on Valentine's Day, when I got home from work that evening, and discovered all the laundry had been washed, dried, folded, and put away! Now that was a great Valentine Day for me!

February Flurries

Wow! That's all I can say when I looked outside this morning. I decided that I'd sit in the sun room, while I meditated on my Lenten readings each morning, and was greeted with an awesome view. Each day we are called to make a decision to stay close to our God. We are called every day to reaffirm our baptismal vows, the life we personally chose when we were confirmed. When we choose life, what are the blessings we receive if we make this choice every day? We are called first to love God. Everything else flows from this, for it is the greatest of God's commandments. Love consists not just in our love for God but in the fact that He first loved us. Witness this beautiful morning. We are also called to walk in his ways. We learn God's ways as we seek to understand his character and his nature. As we read his word prayerfully every day, asking him to speak to us, we allow the Spirit to teach us more clearly who God is, what motivates him, and what it means that he is a God of love, justice, and mercy. We allow the Spirit to transform our minds so that we too can take on the Father's ways and begin to think, choose, and love as He does. I try to take time to reflect on God's word, and what he wants me to do with my life. And I thank Him for sharing His love with us all. I hope we all can take time with God to reflect and renew ourselves this Lenten season.

What a contrast of seasons, with my geraniums blooming inside, while the trees are coated with snow and ice outside.

February Frenzy

So begins another month....Yahoo! Only 2 more months of winter...maybe less...I don't think the groundhog saw his shadow around here...clouds, clouds, and more clouds. I started it by being scheduled not one or two, but three 12 hr. shifts, but thankfully, I got an OnCall for Friday and part of Saturday. I should have been ready to go, since I had all week off, but I think it's even harder to go back to work after you've been off a week. So, did I accomplish a lot while I was off. Hmmm, well I started gung-ho. One of my goals this year was getting organized, and cleaning out the things I no longer want. So I started in the basement, purchasing tote bins, and organizing all my decorations, and artificial flowers by seasons---Winter, spring, summer, and fall. Then I put all my wrapping paper, and gift bags together in one box, along with stickers, ribbon, tissue paper. That felt good. From there, I redid the kitchen, by putting the microwave in the breakfast area, and clearing a straight path from the back door. It amazes me how just simple things can change the look of a room. I then tackled the paperwork for our taxes, so I could get them started. I say, to get them started...I haven't got them done yet. And finally, I'm organizing our bedroom, by getting a portable bed for Mac, to get him off our bed at night, and have some room for sleep. He's taken over half the bed, and Earl, the other third, which leaves me a quarter of the bed. I'm getting claustophobic! This week, I work Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I went with Dad to St. Cloud for his sleep apnea glove, which measures his oxygen level, and adrenaline levels. Tomorrow he brings it back, and they'll read the measurements, and tell him if he needs further therapy. Well, I'm off to choir practice. Happy Fat Tuesday. Tomorrow starts Lent. Dad and I realized we no longer have to fast as we have reached past the age limit. But maybe we'll do it anyway.

Random thoughts and Weekend fun.

Woke up Saturday, and planned a day out, enjoying the day off, and spending some time together. Almost ruined the day when I told Earl we didn't have as much money to spend as he thought we had, and he reacted like I thought he would-disappointed. I, then, felt like it was my fault that there wasn't enough money as we'd like to spend, as I manage the finances. But, after talking about it, we agreed that as frustrating as it is, that's what is, and someday things will get better for us...patience, patience, patience. It's not like we are spending anything on ourselves, ...we didn't even give each other Christmas presents. So we went to St. Cloud, went to Sam's Club, tasted all the samples, bought a few things, renewed my membership there, and fought the crowds. Then, we did a little dreaming about what our next car would be, by going to several dealerships, and looking and trying out cars. If you could have seen Earl drooling over this red, fabulous sports car, with black leather seats, stick-shift, and sun roof, you'd laugh, too. Where's my camera? Then, we went to Red Lobster, as Earl got a gift certificate for there, and enjoyed a wonderful meal. Afterwards, we went over to Crossroads mall, and walked around. Wow, we hadn't been there for quite a while, as we saw all the remodeling that had been done. Ran into Mary Jo Fandel, and she asked about Danielle...she was impressed with all she does. Finally, we stopped @ Cariboo Coffee, and got some drinks(turtle mocha for me), and headed home.
Sunday, we attended Tanner's 1st Communion service with his family, and Chuck's sister, Lynn and hubby. Tanner had Sunday school, and then a hockey game in Albertville. So, we dropped off a gift for him at the house, and gave Ashley's birthday gift to her, along with some breakfast rolls for them to enjoy. Then we went to St. Mary's for Mass, and listened to their great youth choir, and wonderful service. After fixing a big breakfast of eggs and blueberry pancakes, I took advantage of the warm weather of upper 30's, by walking the dogs for 30". They loved it! Relaxed the rest of the day! What a great weekend! Now to plan the rest of the week.

Winter Burrrrrs!

After a busy week of caring for women with pneumonia, and surgeries, and post-partum recoveries, I got the weekend off. What a nice relaxing one, too. Well, almost. I had to drive to Bird Island on Saturday to attend a regional winter board meeting for whom I'm secretary in -16 degree weather, and pick up three other ladies who were going, too. I took the truck as it gets nice and toasty, and runs good in the cold. Thankfully, no mishaps occurred, and I could snuggle up at home afterwards. Friday night, my hubby and I went out to eat at the Western Steakhouse. The food was good, but with the big screen TV on, it wasn't as conducive to talking to each other. I was disappointed that it seems to be turning into a bar/lounge, instead of a nice, quiet restaurant. Still it was nice to get out. Sunday,after church, we encountered a young man walking along the highway, heading for Kandiyohi, having run out of gas in his car. We decided to stop and give him a lift to the gas station, and brought him back, and made sure his car started. He had a puppy in the car, and we could see he was happy to have his owner back. As we talked to him, he related to us about people he knew from our church. Isn't it a small world, and how after we stopped to help him, then two other cars stopped to help, too? The rest of the day was spent watching the play-off games. So, it's the Patriots and the Giants for the SuperBowl. Wished the Packers had won. So starts another week!

A year Ends, A Year Begins

As the year 2007 wraps up, I reminisce about all that occurred on the last days of December. Our family gathering after Christmas was held here. It seemed the right place to be, collecting all the children, and grandchildren together with the parents, listening to the laugher, the excitement of opening presents, the sharing of food and lives, the connectedness we feel of family. For some it is brief, for others, lingering as the day ends. I love it all.
So my resolve for the New Year is to keep this family of ours connected, and receptive to each others needs, and wants, and mostly, love, laughter, and life.
I spent the last day of the year, helping a new mom bring her baby into this world. Always, such joy! And then, getting a phone call early New Year's day from my son, telling me he became a Daddy for the first time @ 11 pm on N.Y. eve, and welcomed Luci Belle into the world and this family. Tremendous Joy! All is well, and Mama Maja is overwhelming joyful.
With one day to get ready, I took down the Christmas tree, ran to the store to get some groceries, order a plant for a dear friend who's father had died, bought a sweater and hat, and baby Levi set for Luci, packed, and awoke @ 5am the next day to catch a plane to Spokane.
So good to see you, son, as we drove to his apartment, and he filled me in on the details of Maja's labor,and Luci's birth. We spent the night at the apartment, met Milly, the cat, and cuddled baby Luci. What a little doll. Who does she look like? I see Adam, and Maja both, but am partial to Adam's looks in the eyes, and mouth.
She's a nightowl, so not much sleep was had by the parents, and the reason he had no showers, so the next day, after visiting the Pediatrician for a check-up(She weighed 7lbs.1oz, almost back to her birth weight of 7lbs.3ozs.), we headed over to her parents home to live for the rest of my stay. Her family is great, met both brothers, and sis, Robin, Mom, and Dad. They had a guest room for me, and room for the new family, too. It felt awkward, at first, being their guest, but as I talked to Priscilla(Maja's mom) we became very comfortable with each other, and hopefully, will remain friends always. She has such a good heart, and takes in many of her family members,and friends, cooking great meals, and making you feel at home. We shared the baby, and advice, and meals. Putting our heads together, we plotted out our children's lives. We even toured the city, and went to church together.
Alas, time came for me to leave, gathering up my photos, and bags, hugs and kisses all around, and sadly, saying good-bye to all, gosh, it's hard to leave, not seeing the baby again, for a while. Better post new pictures soon!
Spokane is a beautiful city, with ponderosa pines, mountain views, beautiful lakes, hotels, and snowy weather. Maybe I'll see more this summer when the wedding plans are formalized in August.
Since i've been back home, it's been work, work, work. Except, when I went with my hubby to St. Cloud on Friday to see the VA Dr. about his high blood pressure, and dizzy spells. When I told them about his sleep disturbances, the Dr. thinks it could be sleep apnea that's causing his problems. They now have a home testing for it, having him wear a glove, which measures the adrenaline levels, to see how severe it is. If high, he will be fitted for a C-Pap mask. Actually, he was relieved it wasn't his heart causing the inc. BP. Maybe this will help his tiredness, too.